What some of our graduates have to say

History

Rian Norris, '12

"I have been living in Austin for two years as of November 2014. In December 2014, I decided to apply to an alternative pathway to teacher licensure program. The following January, I was accepted as an intern at Region XIII Educator Certification Program. These last six months have been quite rigorous. I completed a rigorous two week student teaching internship at Stony Point High School teaching Economics and AP Economics to Seniors.

Since June 8th I have been working Summer Programs at Texas School for the Deaf. This is my first summer working at TSD. After the summer stint at TSD, I will be experiencing a wonderful period rest, however, during this period of rest I will be mentally gearing up for my first school year as a teacher. The 2015-2016 school year I will be teaching Texas History. In addition to teaching I will be coaching girls basketball and volleyball. I am over the moon and definitely ready for the challenge.

I eagerly await the day I am able to return to the District of Columbia....Soon."

Rachel Marie Rose, '10

Rachel Marie Rose's Honors Capstone explored the history of her mother's German deaf family during World War II. This multimedia project also analyzed the larger German deaf community's complex and divergent encounters with Nazi racial hygiene policies. Threats the deaf community faced in this era ranged between institutionalization, incarceration, and sterilization in many cases.

Rachel and her mother (Petra Horn-Marsh '88) conducted and filmed oral history interviews with six deaf women survivors of World War II between the ages of sixty-nine and eighty-three. Each woman was in one way or another connected to Rachel's family and lived in Hamburg during the war. They also interviewed deaf historians, and the curators and directors of the Hamburg Deaf Club.

After graduating from Gallaudet University in 2010 with a degree in History, Rachel focused her combined passion for international development and advocacy within the deaf community by joining the United States Peace Corps and serving in the Deaf Education sector. She taught Math and English at the St. Anthony School for the Deaf in the Western province of Kenya for two years. In 2014, she continued her service in South America, where she worked on the development of a deaf classroom at the Crabwood Creek Primary School in Region VI of Guyana.

This fall, Rachel will be attending the Boston University School of Law, and hopes to continue her work in social justice by pursuing a career in Public Interest law.

Rachel Rose is photographed with students of the Ziwani School for the deaf in Mombasa, Kenya in January of 2012.

Philosophy

Christine Selfe, '00

"I grew up fascinated with religions of all kinds. So much of our culture is influenced by religion. By studying religion you learn more about humankind. As part of the requirements for the major, I've taken many course in psychology, history, and sociology which are a good educational foundation for the study of philosophy and religion. I studied at the General Theological Seminary in New york city and I am now an ordained Episcopal priest."

Rory Osbrink, '00

"I chose philosophy because I like to theorize and think about all aspects of human life. It is a great major to satisfy your curiosity as well as to organize your thoughts. Having majored in philosophy has helped me become more eloquent in both public speaking and writing. Writing is one of my life's passions. I taught for two years at a high school and as a counselor. I'm currently a graduate student pursuing a master's in education."

Sociology

Sara CollinsSociology with Criminology concentration

From May to August 2007, Sara Collins, an undergraduate Sociology with Criminology Concentration major, had an exciting opportunity for an internship at Abt Associates, Inc. of Bethesda, Maryland, a for-profit consulting company that performs research and develops recommendations to guide various governmental programs. During the duration of the internship, Sara had the opportunity to apply the knowledge that was gained through courses taken at Gallaudet University through analyzing quantitative data and report writing. "The experience at Abt gave me an opportunity to grow and further develop myself as a young professional entering the working world," says Sara.

Jessi Gupta, '02Sociology-Criminology Concentration

I originally wanted to get a degree in law. I was encouraged to major in something other than pre-law to broaden my horizons, so I elected to major in sociology with a criminology concentration. It is the best choice I could have made and I fell in love with the subject. Professors inspired me to think outside the box and to believe in my own abilities. I'm now a federal employee for FinCEN, an agency focused in providing assistance to law enforcement agencies in tracking all forms of financial crime, such as money laundering and terrorism.